


Henry and Gold Collect the Rent

by EstelleDusk



Series: Ten Blasted Years of Waiting [6]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff and Angst, Gen, mentions of Rumbelle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-20
Updated: 2013-04-20
Packaged: 2017-12-08 23:32:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/767373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EstelleDusk/pseuds/EstelleDusk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mr. Gold makes his rounds with a small boy tagging along in his best suit and a borrowed tie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Henry and Gold Collect the Rent

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was inspired by this image on Tumblr: http://mallymunestelledusk.tumblr.com/post/47224164198/temporalteatime-pooritalianfan-omg-look  
> And the piece can be found on Tumblr at this url: http://mallymunestelledusk.tumblr.com/post/47249134302/ouat-drabble-henry-and-gold-collect-the-rent  
> Minor spoilers are included in this work if you haven't been keeping up with the latest OUAT news and know who Baelfire and Lacey are.  
> Also, this work is a part of a series of drabbles and whatnot in a universe of my imagination where Mr. Gold knew he was Rumplestiltskin the instant he brought Henry into town.

Mr. Gold tried not to pay any mind to his extra shadow.

Instead, he kept his mind on Belle. Or Lacey as she called herself now. When he introduces his son to Belle, he wanted to make sure she was Belle, and not Lacey. So as the pawnbroker began his rounds on the town to collect the rent, he thought only of ways to make Belle remember herself.

It was only when his shadow failed to move quickly enough to avoid being seen, as Mr. Gold left Granny's B&B, that the former imp decided to see exactly why the youngest member of his family was following him around.

"Henry...just why have you deemed it necessary to follow me?"

"I...well since you're my grandpa, I just wanted to spend more time with you. And since today is Rent Day, I figured it would be perfect. You know, since you won't be busy with my dad or Belle." The boy admits, only a little sheepish at being caught.

The pawnbroker can't help the slight upwards twitch of his lips. Such courage...to tail a dangerous beast like himself. The boy is so like Baelfire that Mr. Gold decides something. Yes...yes the boy will be his undoing as the Seer once said. But he had guessed as much when the babe had first arrived in Storybrooke and Rumplestiltskin saw his Bae in the newborn.

Even after 300 hundred years, the Dark One never forgot how his Bae first looked. His first vision and his last vision of Baelfire were ingrained in his mind forever. And so when he saw the then un-named Henry, he had half a mind to keep the baby as his own. But he knew the Savior would never come if she had no reason to, so he instead vowed to keep an eye on the sleeping babe until he could bring his mother to town. And now that his suspicion was confirmed...he supposed it was time for a little family bonding with his grandson.

"Well now, Henry, if you're going to be collecting the rent with me, you can't go around looking like that. Why don't we see what we can do about that?"

\--

Again, Mr. Gold tried not to pay attention to the town around him.

Instead, he tried to keep the smug grin off his face as he knocked on doors, entered businesses, and asked for the rent. All with a ten year old boy behind him, dressed in his best suit and a borrowed tie. Every person that saw the pair couldn't deny the family resemblance. And the expressions some of the people had, just made the former imp smile more.

The face Regina had as they walked by the diner when she was leaving, was particularly satisfying. Before entering his second to last stop of the day, he instructed his grandson to do as he did the rest of the day and ask for the rent from the next place.

So Henry knocked on the door and tried his best to keep the excitement off his face. He felt like laughing and as he heard his grandmother's voice yell through the apartment for him to wait, he chanced a glance at Mr. Gold and saw that he was nearly laughing.

Mary Margeret soon opened the door and was obviously surprised when she saw her student and grandson standing there in a fancy suit with Mr. Gold just behind him.

"Uh...Henry, did you forget your key? Come on in, I thought you were with your gra...David all day." She changed what she was about to say when she remembers Henry has more than one grandfather now.

"Gran...err...Ms. Blanchard, I'm here to collect the rent in Mr. Gold's stead. Do you have it?" Henry quickly stopped the first name he was going to call his grandmother when Mr. Gold pokes the back of his leg with his cane.

"I'm sorry?" She asked after successfully quieting her laugh.

"I do believe my...apprentice made himself quite clear, Ms. Blanchard." Mr. Gold replied as he gave Henry another light tap with his cane. He could see the boy was struggling to not laugh and knew that if any of them laughed, the others would likely follow.

\--

When the pawnbroker left the apartment of the Charmings, minus one well-dressed grandson, he slowly made his way to his last stop. When Belle was still Belle, this was his last stop as well. Although she paid her rent in kisses then. But now that Lacey is in control, this is his last stop simply because of how mentally exhausted he was afterwards.

The closer he got to Lacey's apartment, the more Rumplestiltskin felt his 300+ years. Finally, he reached the apartment and knocked. He waited patiently. He had thought her dead once. He was certain he could wait for her. No matter how long she took.

He heard the door unlock and saw her cautiously peep through the side of the door. He saw that blasted gold chain keep the door from opening too far. He heard her ask slowly and warily what he was doing on her doorstep.

"Just collecting the rent, dearie, nothing more." He replied, forcing himself to keep a good distance from the door until she gave him leave to be any closer. The door closed in his face and soon reopened. A plain white envelope was sticking out in her hand. He took the envelope and turned around to walk away. "Thank you, dearie."

He didn't need to see her staring at him through the tiny opening the chained lock provided as he limped his way home. The gold chain made her feel safe. From him. He's never hated gold so much.

**Author's Note:**

> Would you believe me when I say I'm sorry for turning such a fluffy piece of work into minor angst?  
> Thought not...


End file.
